Do you need to act for a school project or comedy? Or do you dream of becoming a big screen actor? If so, you need to master the basics of acting. Here are some tips on how to become the master of the stage.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Creating the Character
Step 1. Bring your character to life
Many actors may advise you to find a secret element that only you know and that gives it character. It is a completely legitimate technique that is worth a try. But, in addition to this secret feature, you need to know all the nuances of your character. You have to make him a real person, not just a name on a page.
- What do you do in your spare time? How do you think he will react to certain circumstances? Who are his friends? What makes him happier? What is your internal dialogue like? What is your overview of the world? What's your favorite color? And the food? Where does he live?
- Research everything you can about the character, if it is based on a real person. If not, look for information on the historical period of his alleged life and what is happening around him.
Step 2. Ask yourself why
Knowing what drives your character, everything will find its place. Analyze the work as a whole, but find a motivation scene by scene, part by part. Does your character have a motivation that develops throughout the performance? What do you know about each interaction?
Generally, you find everything in the script. Otherwise, the director will explain it to you. Take the first scene you appear in and analyze what you want to accomplish and how you plan to achieve it. It could be two simple concepts: "accept" or "reassure" followed by "my friend / lover / foe to get x, y and z". Once you understand this, try to express it emotionally
Step 3. Study the lines
To be confident when acting and to be able to focus on your character, you need to know your part as best you can. When you're nervous, it can often be easy to forget lines or have a hard time. To avoid having problems on stage, you have to learn them so well that you can practically perform them while you sleep.
- Review your lines every night. Once you learn, try reciting them to yourself and see how far you can go without looking at the script.
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Practice repeating lines with a friend or family member by having them play the parts of other characters. This way, you'll also be able to memorize the context of your jokes and when you should say them.
And if someone else is wrong, you will always be able to fix it
- Practice the lines the way you want to play them on stage or in front of the camera. Experiment with different ways of acting with each one to find what works best and which feels most authentic.
Step 4. Write personal notes on your script
Develop an annotation system that only you can understand.
- Write down the breaks. You can mark them with a dash between words or phrases: seeing it, you will remember to slow down. Pauses are as important as words. Remember that they are essential for effective acting.
- Write down your emotions. In one paragraph, you can also have four different overriding emotions. Maybe you have to start with anger, then explode, and finally get back into yourself. Write the emotions (or whatever you may need as a reminder) above the sentence to help you remember the best expression.
- Take note of your reactions. True, you should also take notes on other people's jokes. After all, if you're on stage, there's probably at least one person in the audience watching you, even if you're not speaking. How do you feel about what you are told? What are you thinking about watching the scene from the outside? Once you find the answers, write everything down.
- Note the volume of the voice. There may be one or more lines that need to be spoken much louder than others or keywords that you really need to emphasize. Think of your script as if it were music by noting crescendo, decrescendo and accents.
Part 2 of 4: Develop Movement and Voice
Step 1. Relax
Take a deep breath. Holding it for a few seconds helps many people relax their tense body. So, relax all the muscles. It is a great method to breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, and then exhale for another 4 seconds. The overall effect will calm you down.
Step 2. Try to be aware of your body
There are entire courses and techniques dedicated to movement for artists and for good reason. They help you use your "space" to the best of your ability and take command of the stage. Acting doesn't just happen with your voice or face, but on all levels.
Feel free to attribute particularities to your character. Do you walk with a slight limp after a war incident? Does he constantly play with his hair? Does your character have a nervous tic in the legs? Do you bite your nails? These details don't necessarily have to be in your script! Think about how your character would behave in daily life. How do you see him sitting in a waiting room? What would he do?
Step 3. Practice your voice
Talk louder than you usually would, so everyone can hear you and the camera captures the sound. There is nothing more irritating than being in the audience and only understanding a word every now and then.
- Don't speak absurdly - just make sure your voice can be heard, and avoid speaking to your fellow actors in a tone that is inappropriate for the context.
- If you are on a stage, you need to make sure that the people in the back of the auditorium can hear you; so, stand up straight, project your voice and be sure to turn slightly towards the audience. You certainly don't want to talk in the wings!
- Don't speak too fast. This often confuses your words and makes it difficult to hear what you are saying.
Step 4. Speak the words
When on stage or in front of the camera, you need to pronounce your words clearly and make sure all sounds are well defined. This is especially important for the end of words, which are easy to eat and miss acoustically.
- Make sure all consonants are present. This should slow you down enough that it can be easily understood by everyone.
- Don't overdo the wording, as it may sound unnatural. You should make sure that your voice resonates clearly, but without being too artificial. If in doubt, get advice from the director and your fellow actors.
Step 5. Talk like your character
Even if the character doesn't have an accent, there are other aspects of his idiol to consider that may not be present in the script. Consider age, race, social status, beliefs, and income.
In a review of the musical "The Pajama Game", a writer stated that the protagonist was great… but not credible. Choose carefully every facet of your character, and study it very carefully. Even a small detail, such as mispronouncing a word in a certain dialect, can have a negative impact on the success of your performance
Part 3 of 4: Acting
Step 1. Show your emotionality
It should be instinctive. As an actor, you need to portray certain emotions and make sure the audience can see what you feel, on stage as well as in the camera. Use your emotions to tune into the character … - now, you are one with him..
- Find an emotion within you that matches how your character would feel. Did your mother just die? Sure, luckily yours is still alive, but do you remember how you felt when your pet passed away? You were desperate and you cried for days. Try to relive that emotion. The audience has no idea what the trigger is, they just know that you are devastated and it probably has something to do with the plot they are intrigued by.
- Change the pitch of your voice. If your character is upset, you may want the harder, less controlled voice. If your character is excited or nervous, make it more acute.
- Use gestures and body language to convey emotions. It is not enough to stand there with your hands at your sides. If your character is angry, wave your hands and stomp your feet. If he's sad, shrug and hang his head. Try to be logical.
Step 2. Try to cope well with difficulties
Never reveal, for any reason, that you are in trouble. Don't let your voice betray you in front of your audience and no one will notice.
- If you're dancing or moving, don't drop the actor's mask. Trust beyond belief and hold on. Keep smiling. You have to smile because you are the only one who knows the truth.
- If you miss a joke, move on. The only people who know the script are on stage. Take a turn on the words and get back to the thread. If the other actors are also professionals, there will be no problem.
Step 3. Live in the moment
From the moment you step onto the stage, there are no more romantic issues, money problems or fatigue. All that stuff stayed behind the scenes. You are alone in the moment that is creating in front of you.
If you are experiencing an emotion while performing a show, it must be just a feeling of abandonment and release. The stage should take the stress out, not add it. Take this opportunity to be someone else and check your problems and attitude. It will only take a few hours and, if you really want it, you can find everything you have put aside. Stop thinking and start listening actively and stay in the present. The public will realize if you fail to take this attitude
Step 4. Don't get out of your character
If you forget everything else, just remember that you have to be your own character: you have to avoid making mistakes by returning to your shoes. Actors are often pranksters… - resist their jokes, however funny they may be, and keep your role.
If there is a mishap or something doesn't happen, as expected, stay in your character and react as he would. For example, did not a shot go off? Well, you can use the knife hidden on the stage: afterwards you will proceed to fire the noise maker who did not do his duty
Step 5. Maintain a positive attitude
Sometimes, worrying about not making mistakes or being dependent on other people's reactions can ruin your mood. Often, if you are having fun, the audience will understand this too and be able to have fun with you.
- Take criticism wisely. If your director tells you to do something different, don't take it as a personal insult. Rather, see it as a chance to improve.
- Acting gets better and is more natural when you're having fun instead of getting stressed out. By being positive and relieving tension and stress, you will be able to get into your character more easily.
Step 6. Release your inhibitions
Practice relaxation exercises, get into character, and stop worrying about how others will perceive him. You don't have to do this because it's anxiety-inducing! Do it because it makes you feel good.
Look in the mirror and say to yourself, "I'm not myself anymore. Now I am [insert your character name]". You are no longer yourself, so you don't have to worry about what they think about you. Remember that when you do something, viewers don't see you, but your character
Step 7. Know when it's your turn
You have to be aware of the moment when you have to go on stage or enter the scene. You will have several people on if you get the timing wrong. When it's almost your turn, you should be waiting in the wings (or in front of the camera), ready to impersonate your character.
- Go to the bathroom before your performance starts. You certainly don't want to miss your shift because you were out in the bathroom having a nervous pee or grabbing something to eat!
- Follow carefully to know when to start. Even if you think you know around what time you should enter the scene, be aware and follow the scene carefully. Don't get distracted or talk to other people.
- If there is an emergency and you absolutely have to go to the bathroom or run from your car, let someone know, even if you think you'll be back in time for the scene. Try to limit yourself to truly urgent and unexpected events that others will notice without you having to tell them.
Step 8. Be aware of your position and your surroundings
When on stage or in front of a camera, try to know where you should be spatially. Using a laconic term, "find the light" and stay there.
- When you speak, turn slightly towards the audience. This is technically called "quartering". The audience needs to be able to see you and hear your voice, while you are having a conversation on stage. If your director tells you that you are closed, move outward 90º (a quarter of a circle).
- If they are filming you, don't look directly at the camera unless you appear in an episode of Camera Café and the director specifically asks. Instead, talk to the other actors and interact with your surroundings as your character would.
Part 4 of 4: Working with Others
Step 1. Listen to the director
The director knows the big picture of the production and is perfectly aware of what he is saying. Take their criticisms or suggestions seriously. If he wants you to do something and you understand why, do it..
- Follow the directions and apply them when practicing your jokes. That said, if you don't understand why, ask! You don't have to step into the scene without knowing why you're doing it. Your director will appreciate that you want to understand your character.
- Ask questions (even before the director speaks up) if it's not clear how you should do something. If you're not sure how to react to an event or how to execute a certain line, don't be afraid to ask the director. Directors usually have a pretty clear idea of what they are looking for.
Step 2. Don't act like a diva
Remember that acting isn't all about you and that the entire production is a team effort. Where would you be without the other actors, the props, the technology and the costume team? You would be all alone and naked on a dimly lit stage, that's where you would be!
If you're playing the lead role in a production, no, you don't have the hardest part. Calm down and get off your ivory tower. Try to perform all the tasks required to produce a TV show, from scenes to audio and lighting, and you will understand the importance of the whole team. Be kind and understanding to those who work with you
Step 3. Act and react
You may also know every single line of the script, but if you're not listening to the other person conversing with you, problems arise. You have to keep up with the scene, whatever direction it takes. So you have to act, of course, but also and above all you have to act.
Read the lines with your fellow actors and practice. Even if you have mastered the lines perfectly on your own, it is necessary to work with other people and work together on stage to achieve the common goal. You should interact with your fellow actors, not just make jokes on your own. Have fun and experiment! This is the real fun in acting
Step 4. Use the audience
While technically you shouldn't break the 'fourth wall', the imaginary wall that divides you from the audience (in most productions, at least), they are there. They are there and you have to work with them. And don't forget that their presence is a great good. Draw energy from them. There is nothing better.
When the audience laughs or cheers, give them a minute to show you their affection. Yes, maybe not a minute, but still what the scene seems to require. Let their enthusiasm subside a little before moving on. Feel where the viewers are and where you should get with the scene. This may sound a bit abstract, but as you experience it, it will take on meaning
Step 5. Show kindness and camaraderie
You want to build a relationship with the people you are working with and show them that you appreciate the work they have done. They worked as hard as you did!
- Wish your fellow actors good luck and tell them they did a great job. Try saying "Break your leg!" before they take the stage and "You were great!" when they finished.
- Thank the group members for all their hard work. For example, if you really have a great makeup artist, you can tell her, "I really appreciate the work you've done. I couldn't have looked more like the character!"
Advice
- Remember to breathe regularly when on stage or in front of the camera. This will help you relax and speak lines more clearly.
- Study the actors you value. Watch some videos on YouTube, listen to their advice, but remember that every person is different: don't try to look like another actor, so be yourself, have fun and play the character as you see fit!
- Warm up your voice before acting. Do some breathing exercises and also warm up your vocal cords. It may also be helpful to relax the muscles before going on stage to avoid shaking or stiffening.
- If you're still developing your character, watch people. You can look at strangers or people you know and extrapolate from them habits and mannerisms that you want to incorporate into your character.
- If you can't remember the lines, try to improvise. What would your character say at that moment and in that situation? Try to stay in character. Improvise something to find the thread, trying to be consistent.
- Think about when you experienced a certain emotional reaction to evoke it in your character.
- If you are stage frightened, you need to practice in front of your family many times to get used to it.
- You can ask others what they think about your acting. Sometimes, directors offer private lessons to actors so that they improve their performance.
- Let yourself go and remember: IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU ARE WRONG!
